U.S. patent number 5,843,128 [Application Number 08/999,197] was granted by the patent office on 1998-12-01 for molded, polymeric pacifier with a plurality of nipples.
Invention is credited to Toby Wexler.
United States Patent |
5,843,128 |
Wexler |
December 1, 1998 |
Molded, polymeric pacifier with a plurality of nipples
Abstract
A one piece pliable molded polymer pacifier including a pair of
hollow balls, having multiple nipples extending therefrom,
connected by a hollow tubular column. The nipples located upon each
ball are located 90 degrees apart in the same or opposite planes
from that of the nipples located on the opposite ball.
Inventors: |
Wexler; Toby (Lafayette,
LA) |
Family
ID: |
25546004 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/999,197 |
Filed: |
December 29, 1997 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
606/234 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61J
17/001 (20150501) |
Current International
Class: |
A61J
17/00 (20060101); A61J 017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;606/234,235,236
;D24/194,199,195,196,197,198 ;215/11.1-11.6 ;446/419,437
;273/58 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Buiz; Michael
Assistant Examiner: Trinh; Vikki
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Montgomery; Robert N.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A one piece, molded polymeric pacifier comprising:
at least one hollow sphere;
a hollow tubular handle extended mesially and contiguously said
sphere; and
a plurality of hollow, pliable nipples extended contiguously and
outwardly from at least one said hollow sphere.
2. The one piece, molded polymeric pacifier according to claim 1
wherein said nipples are located 90 degrees apart in at least one
plane.
3. A one piece, molded polymeric pacifier comprising:
a) a pair of hollow spheres oriented opposite from one another;
b) a hollow tubular column extended mesially and contiguously said
spheres; and
c) a plurality of hollow, pliable nipples extended contiguously and
outwardly from each of said polymeric balls.
4. The one piece, molded polymeric pacifier according to claim 3
wherein at least some of said nipples located upon one of said
hollow spheres are orientated in a plane opposite that of at least
some said plurality of nipples located upon the opposed sphere.
5. A process for constructing a pacifier comprising the step of
molding hollow, one piece, pliable, polymeric pacifier having a
plurality of nipples extending outwardly from a pair of adjacent
balls connected by a means for grasping.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to baby pacifiers and more
particularly to a multiple nipple pacifier.
2. General Background
Pacifiers have been designed for infants as a substitute for bottle
nipples for many years. Such apparatus take many shapes, but most
utilize the basic, commonly used, mouth shield and nipple
arrangement, however, some provide a handle portion which is
generally integral with the pacifier, while some provide a ring
handle as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,336. Although it is desirable
for a pacifier to have a handle so that the child or an adult can
hold the pacifier, care must be taken so that the handle does not
become a danger to the child.
Plural nipple pacifiers have been designed such as that disclosed
in U.S. Des. 279,218 which provides a variety of odd shaped nipples
clustered around a central core and further having a pair of rings
made of a dissimilar material which may be dislodged or removed.
This pacifier is unattractive and cumbersome, offers no explanation
of its construction material, which could be tough or hard, and
provides no restraint with regard as to how much of the nipple can
be placed in the child's mouth, thereby possibly causing
suffocation. Further, this configuration could cause harm to a
child's eye due to the angle of the protrusions and there is no way
for the child to grasp and position the pacifier.
Due to the child's lack of coordination, it is often difficult for
the child to manipulate the pacifier by the handle portion, where
one exists, and thereby place the nipple portion in its mouth. The
mouth shields of most safe pacifiers are generally made of hard
plastic, rubber or urethane and are therefore potentially hazardous
should the child fall. However, such shields are considered
necessary to prevent suffocation. The hard plastic shields are
certainly uncomfortable if the child should fall asleep on the
pacifier. Therefore, there is a need for a pliable, one piece
pacifier having multiple nipples and a handle which may be grasped
easily, thereby presenting an array of nipples to the child's mouth
without manipulation. The size of most pacifiers makes them hard to
locate and, therefore, they tend to get lost easily. Ideally a
pacifier should be bright, large enough not be lost easily, yet
lightweight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention addresses the problems associated with
pacifiers as discussed above in a unique manner. By providing a
pair of soft, hollow, pliable balls located at each end of a hollow
tubular column, with each ball having a plurality of conventional
bottle nipples, each located in a manner which allows the child to
suck on the nipples without interference from the adjacent nipple,
the child can easily find and grasp the pacifier and insert one of
the nipples in his mouth without manipulating the pacifier. The
pacifier is large enough that it cannot be easily lost, and is
brightly colored and is soft and pliable. The pacifier is made as a
single blow molded unit, thereby eliminating any sharp edges.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the
present invention, reference should be made to the following
detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which, like parts are given like reference numerals,
and wherein:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the pacifier,
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view;
FIG. 3 is a cross section view taken along sight line 3--3 in FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the pacifier
with nipples on only one end;
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a third embodiment showing five
nipples on each ball.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As seen in FIG. 1 the instant pacifier 10 includes a pair of balls
attached by a tubular column 14 which serves as a means for
grasping. Each ball 12 is configured with three baby bottle nipples
16 located at 90 degree increments in a horizontal plane on one
ball and in the vertical plane on the opposite ball, better seen in
FIG. 2. Each nipple 16 has a conventional baby bottle nipple
configuration. As seen in the cross section view shown in FIG. 3,
the pacifier is one piece construction having a relatively thin
wall, blow molded using a sanitary, non-toxic polymer having a tear
strength of approximately 230 psi, a tensile strength of
approximately 1200 psi and an elongation of at least 500%. The
pacifier has durometer in the range of 40-50 shore "A", thereby
making the pacifier tough and very pliable with a soft texture.
Depending on the molding process the wall thickness may vary from
0.062 to 0.187. It is anticipated that the material may be
transparent or have colored pigment. The pacifier may be made from
a non-toxic clear vinyl compound such as that utilized by the
health and medical industries and manufactured to the highest
standards of quality and purity and meet all industry standards for
sanitation and traceability. It is anticipated that embodiment 20
having a single ball 12 with three nipple 16 and a handle portion
14 with a some what smaller ball 18 as shown FIG. 4 could be
provided. This configuration may be advantageous for an older child
with better dexterity. It is also anticipated that nipples 16 could
be placed on the balls 12 in both the vertical and horizontal
planes thereby producing five nipples on each ball as seen by the
embodiment 30 in FIG. 5.
Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within
the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many
modification may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in
accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as
illustrative and not in any limiting sense.
* * * * *